Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
Keratorefractive lenticule extraction (KLEx) delivers solid visual results in patients over 55, but younger patients still come out ahead. A new retrospective study found both age groups achieved high uncorrected distance visual acuity post-procedure, though younger patients had better efficacy and safety scores. Researchers point to increased corneal stiffness in older patients as a likely contributing factor.
KLEx refractive surgery clears the bar for older patients — with some caveats
Keratorefractive lenticule extraction (KLEx) is a viable refractive surgery option for patients aged 55 and older, but a new study published in the Journal of Refractive Surgery confirms that outcomes don't quite match those seen in younger patients. Researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital in Munich compared 144 eyes from patients 55+ against a matched cohort of patients 35 and younger, finding that while both groups achieved strong visual results, the older group consistently trailed on key metrics.
The gap is likely tied to biology: older corneas tend to be stiffer, which may limit how precisely the procedure reshapes tissue. Importantly, neither group experienced intraoperative or postoperative complications, and both showed similar predictability and stability over time.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: As more presbyopic and older adults seek refractive surgery, clinicians need realistic benchmarks. KLEx remains a strong option for this demographic, but patients should be counseled that enhancement procedures may be more likely compared to younger counterparts.
